Sri Lanka head coach Chris Silverwood has stepped down from his role, citing personal reasons. The country’s cricket board announced his resignation on Thursday (June 27). The 49-year-old’s departure follows Mahela Jayawardene‘s resignation as consultant coach, which came after the team’s disappointing T20 World Cup campaign where they failed to qualify for the Super 8s.
“Being an international coach means long periods away from loved ones. After lengthy conversations with my family and with a heavy heart, I feel it is now time for me to return home,” Silverwood said in the SLC release. “It has been a real honour for me to be part of Sri Lanka Cricket and I will be taking away many fond memories.”
Appointed in April 2022, Silverwood joined the Sri Lankan team shortly after his tenure with the England men’s team ended following a 0-4 away Ashes series loss. Despite the challenging start, Silverwood experienced success early in his stint, leading Sri Lanka to lift the Asia Cup in 2022. He also guided the team to an ODI bilateral series win against Australia at home (3-2) during the country’s economic crisis.
Under his leadership, Sri Lanka finished as runners-up in the 2023 Asia Cup but faced two disappointing World Cup campaigns in the past six months.
With Silverwood’s exit, Sri Lanka Cricket faces the task of finding a suitable replacement to guide the team through its upcoming challenges and rebuild its competitive edge on the international stage.
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